A little different take on safety of using a travel trailer vs a motor home:

You spend much more of your time traveling, moving from place to place with either option than you do fending off aggressive bystanders. In that light, take a look at the safety of riding down the highway in a vehicle designed with accident protection engineered into it (a tow vehicle) vs a vehicle engineered for extreme lightweight convenience (a motor home).

Which will protect you more in a collision, which is a much more likely scenario than an intruder?

A little different take on safety of using a travel trailer vs a motor home:

You spend much more of your time traveling, moving from place to place with either option than you do fending off aggressive bystanders. In that light, take a look at the safety of riding down the highway in a vehicle designed with accident protection engineered into it (a tow vehicle) vs a vehicle engineered for extreme light weight convenience (a motor home).

Which will protect you more in a collision, which is a much more likely scenario than an intruder?

That's an excellent point. Whenever someone asks whether I'm worried about bears, snakes, crazies, or whatever their camping fear is, I always say that by far the most dangerous part of the time out is the to and from.

And I would point out that in my comparison of BC to Florida I wasn't advocating the use of firearms. I was merely pointing out that laws in differing places are not the same. Florida has a "stand your ground" law. BC does not.

...You spend much more of your time traveling, moving from place to place with either option than you do fending off aggressive bystanders. In that light, take a look at the safety of riding down the highway in a vehicle designed with accident protection engineered into it (a tow vehicle) vs a vehicle engineered for extreme light weight convenience (a motor home)...

Great point, and a tow vehicle can be upgraded from time to time to take advantage of design improvements affecting safety (as well as performance, utility, etc.) without having to replace the RV coach. I expect my Scamp to outlast several tow vehicles.

Modern vans used in Class B and C motorhomes do have up-to-date safety features. Cockpit protection is better than many Class A's (a point made in the linked article), but the danger of injury from unsecured objects in the coach is still greater than in a separate tow vehicle. Furthermore, as the motorhome ages, you are left with the unpalatable choice between driving an aging chassis (affecting both safety and reliability) or paying a king's ransom for a new motorhome.

Of course, there is a trade-off. Towing adds an element of driving risk of its own. That risk can be managed, but not eliminated.

I come here for the NOT politics... but since you asked I carry the XM42.

"wait a minute, you perp!" Now where did I put that operators manual? " Hold on there, I'm almost ready to defend myself!" Now, let's see, light it here, turn that on, prepare to stand by. "OK." " Ready!!"

__________________I only exaggerate enough to compensate for being taken with a grain of salt.

I decided long ago that if I wanted to be happy, comfortable,SAFE, well-fed, and able to pursue my personal favorite activities, I would stay home.

Camping is for other things. Seeing new places. Meeting new people. Overcoming new challenges. Giving Paul and the girls the same benefits, fresh air, a change and break in the usual routine so that the routine feels all the sweeter when we're back to it. I'm well aware some people achieve higher levels of all the good things. Great camping meals. Super comfy nights of restful slumber. Wi-Fi. Etc. I guess I'm just marginal.
Therefore
To whatever degree I can achieve comfort, SAFETY, happiness, regular meals, and pursuit of personal goals on a camping trip is to the good. Anything less I vowed to consider par for the course, and try, at the very least, to make my kvetching about it funny.

Sometimes it all comes together. So far haven't had anything much bad happen.

We have barking dogs, a can of deep woods OFF! and a car alarm fob. We also cultivate the poor and badly-equipped look that we hope makes us less of a target.

Indeed, it is the time on the road that is the most fraught with peril...especially on high mountain roads with steep drop-offs and no guardrails!

A fabulously interesting thread. Almost as good as the sawdust toilet one and the Will the Wind Blow My Trailer Over thread.

Thanks for the reminder of the forum rules..

Hey, Raspy--same for us. After multi choices and trails, finally Settled on a little old egg & a mini-van tow. Best of all we've done so far. Knock wood.

To Arm or Not to Arm on the Road or at Home. I will check with my two different neighbors whose homes were broken into in the last 3 weeks, while they were sleeping, if they feel their outlook has changed. Probably fortunate for them in that they slept through it, but?